To be a Slave
by R.N.Taylor
Summary: "Talk to Ahzrukhal."  To his surprise, the woman smiled at him. "No," she said, holding out some old papers. "I bought your contract."
1. Part 1

**I do not own Fallout or any of it's charicters.**

*****

**As always, thank you to Rex Greene, my uncle, good friend and happily willing beta reader! Also, to my friend, Kayla, who came in after Rex to take a secont look. Thank you!**

She was a mess. Dust covered her face and clung to her leather armor. Mud caked her boots; mud and... something else.. blood maybe?

Charon didn't know, nor did he truly care. She wasn't somone he would ever look twice at; her hair, a tangled brown mess, framing a plain, dirty face. Normally, Charon wouldn't be looking at her at all, but she was standing and talking with Ahzrukhal, and as Charon's contract owner, Ahzrukhal was to be protected, from Deathclaws to radroaches and everything inbetween, including children straight out of the vault.

She didn't seem to be a threat. Her body was relaxed, her weapons holstered. Her only unrelaxed feature was her face; she seemed annoyed. It suddenly occured to Charon that her and Ahzrukhal were arguing. Over what, Charon couldn't tell, though Azrukhal looked thorougly bemused.

"1000 caps," Danica offered, trying to sound firm. The ghoul's face twisted into a smile as he laughed; a considerably frightening sight for someone who had never seen a ghoul until that day.

"You're kidding, right?" Ahzrukhal continued to laugh, weezing and coughing as he did so. "No, 2000 caps, or no deal."

"Oh, come on! Please?"

Ahzrukhal rased an eyebrow. "Sorry, kid," he said in his usual scratchy, ghoul voice.

"Look, I'm saving up for something important. Let me have him for 1000."

"No." Ahzrukhal's face was completly blank now. "I dont give a fuck what you are doing with your caps. If you want him, it's 2000 caps. Otherwise, piss off."

"Please, there must be some way we can work something out!"

"Wanna kill Greta for me?"

"_What?_" Danica stared at him for a moment, brown eyes large with shock. "No, i'm not going to kill Greta!"

"Then hand over the caps or take a hike!"

"Ugh!" Danica mumbled obscenities under her breath as she counted out the caps. "1998, 1999, 2000! There you go! Now hand over his contract before i shoot you in the head!"

Ahzrukhal glared at her for a moment before handing her the papers. "I'll give you the pleasure of telling him yourself."

"_Thanks_," Danica breathed, a tone of sarcasim behind her lips.

Charon watched her as she turned around, took a deep breath and walked straight over to him. Charon was to talk to no one but his contract owner. _Ever_. That was made more than clear, so when the young woman opened her moth to speak to him, Charon was quick to cut her off. "No," he said barely looking at her. "Talk to Ahzrukhal."

To his surprise, the woman smiled at him. "No," she said, holding out some old papers. "I bought your contract."

"I see," Charon said, heart pounding in his throat. "Please excuse me for a moment."

Pulling out his shotgun, Charon walked over to Ahzrukhal and...

"What the hell was _that_?" Danica exclimed taking deep breaths after running out of Underworld With Charon, who had just shot and killed his former contract holder.

"He was an evil bastard," Charon said simply.

"You... you're not going to do that to me, will you?"

"No."

"... umm... okay then.. let's get going."

Working for Danica was easy. She was a scavenger and never found much trouble, aside from the occasional raider and vicious dog. He seemed to only be there to carry her things; a ridiculous amount of tin cans and empty soda bottels to be sold in the closest town.

They didnt stop to rest much but when they did, she was kind to him, making sure he was fed, well armed, healthy and rested.

Danica rubbed her eyes and rolled over in her bed to see Charon sitting at her desk, reading a copy of one of her big gun skill books. He saw her looking at him almost right away. Puting the book down, he stood up straight, waiting for her demands as usual.

"You may sit."

He did so with no hesitation. They never really talked. Charon was always so emotionless with an all work kind of attitude.

"Charon..." Danica sat up, stretching.

"Yes, what is it?"

"May I ask you somthing?"

"You hold my contract, therefore you may do whatever you wish."

"What do you think about all day long?"

Charon was silent, his expression, as usual, blank and unchanging. The only sound in the Megaton house was the sound of Wadsworth's jets as he passed by the room.

"It is not my place to question your behavior.."

"No, please do. I would love to hear what you have to say."

Well... If I may ask.. what did you pay for my contract?"

"2000 caps"

"Hmm.."

"Why do you ask?"

"It is not my place to question your behavior."

"No, please tell me. Why did you ask me that?"

"I do not feel that you are puting me to my true potential. I am a body guard, and yet, you take me places where there is not much to guard you from. Was the amont of caps you gave for me worth it?"

Danica smiled. "It will be."

"May I ask the reason for your excessive cap collecting?"

"Why do you ask?"

"It is my expereince that 5000 caps will get you anything you want out here. Why do you continue to collect?"

"Because 2000 caps only buys one slave."

Charon said nothing to this, almost wishing he hadn't asked.

"Are you tired?" Danica asked, gesturing to the bed.

"No."

"May I ask you somthing else?"

"You hold my contract, therefore you may do whatever you wish. What do you ask of me?"

"How did you get this way?"

"Radiation," he answered, sounding defensive.

"Oh no, I know how somone is turned into a ghoul. It was explained to me. What I meant was, how did you get to be a..."

"A slave?"

"I don't think slave is the right word. Slaves dont have contracts."

"Forgive me for disagreeing, but it _is_ the right word."

"Oh.. so, then... how did it happen?"

"I do not wish to tell you, but if you demand it of me, I must."

Charon said nothing after this and so, Danica, not wanting to push the subject, decided to also say nothing.

It was a long walk to Paradise Falls. Not only long but, to Charon's mild delight, dangerous. Not as dangerus as jumping into a Mirelurk nest alone, with nothing but a base ball bat, but compared to their usual outings, dangerous. Danica's gun skills were surprising and somewhat refreshing. There was a few close calls, but nothing a stimpack couldn't fix.

"Wait here," Danica demanded as she turned to leave Charon at the entrance of the slaver town. He did as he was told and watched her enter.

"What the fuck are you supposed to be?"

Charon turned to look at the guard sitting to his right.

"Holy hell! You look like shit! Hey, man, get over here and check out this poor basterd!" Another guard walked over and started to laugh once he got a good look at Charon.

"Oh my god! What the fuck happened to your face?"

Charon sneered at them and looked away.

"What the fuck do you mean I can't have them all?"

"You can't have them all! That's what I mean!"

Danica glared angrily at Eulogy Jones. "I've got the caps!"

"You can have two, but that's it."

That's fucking bullshit! I have the caps! Why can't I have all the slaves?"

"Because, miss.. _Danica_, was it? I said no! You can't just clean us out like that! It's bad for busieness. Besides, I got three people coming in later to look at the merchindise. What am I going to tell them when they show up and all the slaves have ben bought?"

"Damn it, Eulogy, I don't give a fuck what you tell them! Let me buy them from you!"

"The answer was no. Now get out of here before I have you _violently_ escorted out."

"This isn't over.. I'll be back."

Danica stomped all the way out of Paradise Falls, going back to get Charon. He was standing where she left him but his back was facing two men, who were hysterically laughing.

"I've shit out things that look better than you," she heard one of them say.

Danica took a deep breath and walked over to Charon. "Fuck off, Grouse," she said to one of the men and led Charon away.

It had been a long walk there, but the walk back seemed to be taking even longer. Night fell before they were even half way back to Megaton. It was getting darker and darker out in the wasteland, making it harder to see, so they set up camp in a small clearing.

Danica sat, poking at the fire, watching the flames dance in the darkess and mumbling angrilly to herself. "20,000 caps and he _still_ won't sell them... all for nothing..."

"You seem frustrated," Charon said, hesitantly. Danica only gave an angry grunt before Charon continued. "If I may make a suggestion... Why not get what you want by killing what stands in your way?"

"I don't want to start any trouble."

A long time passed in silence before Charon spoke again. "It is not my place to question your behavior..."

Danica noticed that he had trailed off this time. When he hadn't seemed to have completed his full thought, she spoke lightly and kindly; "Yes, go on."

"If you don't mind me asking... What could you possibly be planning to do with all those slaves?

"Nothing. I don't plan on doing anything with them. I plan to set them free."

Charon was not expecting this at all. Though she hadn't seemed to notice, he couldn't help but stare at her.

"You said you were a slave, right?"

Charon said nothing. His brain was racing. He knew where he hoped this would lead, but knew better than to get his hopes up. But just the thought.. the dream of long-lost freedom always seemed to be nothing more than an impossible fantasy to torture himself with. He had long ago given up the hope of being, one day, set free.

As if reading his mind, Danica continued; "How long has it been since you've known freedom?"

"100 years.. maybe more."

"What would you do? What would you do with your freedom?"

Charon's heart started to race. _Don't get your hopes up_, he told himself. _She didn't even see you as a slave. Just take a breath and answer her question._ "I wouldn't know."

"Haven't you ever thought about it?"

"No.. Not for a long time. I have accepted the fact that I will never go free."

There was silence again. The only sound that could be heard was the campfire cracking and popping away. Charon was much calmer now but couldn't help but think about Danica's question. _'What would you do with your freedom?'_

"I like weapons."

Danica looked up in suprise at his seemingly random out-burst.

"I like the way they look and the way they feel.. before I was... taken... I dreamed of opening a gun shop.. But I have since abandoned that dream."

"What would you have called it?"

"Dog Meat..."

A smile pulled at the corner of Danica's mouth. "Dog Meat," she repeated. Charon said nothing as Danica held back laughter. "That seems so random... _why_?"

"It was so long ago... I really do not remember."

"Not even a little?.. I mean... It seems so odd."

"I... I think we had a dog... and my sister... she was the one who named it Dog Meat."

"How old were you?"

"I was 10," he replied flatly, saying nothing else.

Neither slept that night. Odd sounds filled the cold night air and Charon refused to rest. His job was to protect Danica and he was not willing, at any point, no matter how much Danica asked him to, to rest. Danica couldn't sleep, so she sat up with Charon, back to back, keeping each other safe, though he never realized that these were her intentions.

The sun was up within a few hours, the camp fire was put out and they were ready to continue their walk to Magaton. Not much had been said between them after their short, unexpected conversation the previous night. Things didn't change all through their walk, which was perfectly fine with Charon, who never had much desire to speak to anyone in the first place.

When the door to Danica's house was closed, Charon turned and looked at her, waiting for his orders. He was tired and Danica could tell. His eyes seemed glossy with heavy lids, and he had stumbled a few times on the way in. He was an old and tortured ghoul. How old, Danica couldn't tell and wasn't sure if anyone could, really. If he had wrinkles, they must have been hidden by rotting skin.

100 years, he had said. _100 years without freedom_.. maybe more. Danica couldn't imagine what that must have been like. "Horrible" may have been the right word. But how would she know? This world was still relatively new to her. She had adapted quickly, but the vault was all she knew before this. Yes, after a while, the vault felt like a prison, but to be a true prisoner.. _a slave_.. she just didn't know.

"Charon," she said with a little smile.

"Yes, what is it?"

"I want you to go to bed."

"But I-"

"No. You will go up to my room and lay down. And you will stay there until you fall asleep."

"Very well.. How long do you wish for me to sleep?"

"I'll come get you when I'm ready."

Charon had fallen asleep almost right away, though he was woken up once or twice by some loud banging and metalic sounds from downstairs. It is not my place to question her behavior, he thought as he drifted back to sleep.

"Charon... Charon, wake up."

Charon sat up almost right away to see Danica standing in the doorway. "Did you sleep well?" she asked in a sweet voice.

"More or less."

"That's good.. Come with me. There's somthing I need to show you."

Charon stood up and walked with her through the house to the door. The entrance room looked really clean.. too clean. Almost as though she had cleared out all her things. That must be what she was doing the whole time, he thought as she led him out the door.

Charon found himself standing at a small round table, looking at a chair with its back facing Danica's house. She gestured for him to sit, and he did as she sat across from him. "What is it you wish to show me?"

Danica smiled as she rummaged through her bag. "Charon, I've been thinking.. a lot..." She pulled out an ashtray and a book of matches. "About everything we have talked about over the last month or so, though there wasn't much talking, was there?"

Charon said nothing.

"I have considered all you have said.." she trailed off and as she did so, Charon watched as she pulled out some papers. "Do you know what this is, Charon?"

He took a look. He hadn't seen it more then a few times in the last 100 years or so, but he would recognize it anywhere. "It's my contract," he anwered, flatly.

Danica's smile suddenly disappered. Charon watched as she crumbled up the papers, lit a match and set it on fire.

"_What are you_-"

"It's not your contract," she told him as he watched in shock as the papers quickly turn to ash. "You have no contract."

There was an intense silence as the flame began to die, leaving nothing but ash behind.

"You... I..." Charon stammered. "You mean I'm... _I'm_..."

"You're free, Charon.. _but_.. there is one more thing I want to show you..."

Charon stared at her with wide, almost scared-looking, eyes, the first real emotion Danica had ever seen from him.

"Listen very carefully. I want you to stand up and turn around."

Slowly, Charon pushed his chair back and turned.

He was now facing the door to Danica's place.. but it wasn't.. Above the door she had takin an abundance of melted scrap metal and wonder glue to make a sign. Charon stared at the slopy, black paint;

_**DOG MEAT**_  
><em>Weapons and amo<em>

**Thank you for reading!**  
><strong>I plan on having three more chapters and I look forward to your Reviews!<strong>


	2. Part 2

**Thank you for all the positive Reviews! It really made me want to keep going on this story!**  
><strong>Enjoy<strong>

Charon was absolutely speechless. He wasn't even sure if his brain was working right. As Charon stood there, dumfounded, Danica's moth went a mile a minute.

"See, I've taken all of my things out, leaving lots of guns and ammo for you to start with. There's a desk upstairs if you need it and some shelves. You'll just have to move them down here… and there's a bed upstairs of course for you to sleep..."

Charon was trying hard to listen to her.

"And I had a chat with some of the people in town and they don't seem to mind at all that you'll be here, in fact, a lot of them seemed exited to have a new shop. Even Moira didn't seem to mind. She even pitched in for your inventory start and-"

She just kept going.

"At first I tried to set up a little place for you in Underworld but after a little while, I realized that's probably not the best idea and-"

Charon's heart was pounding hard. He didn't know what to say or even what to think. _Freedom... At long last..._ He had to watch people all of his life getting to do what they wanted and say what they pleased wall he stood in the background, giving up hope and trying as hard as he could to except his new life. And now, not only was he just simply handed his freedom, but a new life as well.

Danica hadn't been his first kind contract holder. There had been three or four others he had been sold to. Any of them could have set him free; just set his contract on fire as easily as Danica had... But then where would he go?

Danica not only set him free, but gave him a place to stay and something to do with the rest of his life. Charon didn't know how to react. He wanted to show her he was grateful, but how do u show gratitude after being deprived for so long?

Finally, it was quiet. Danica had stopped talking, waiting for Charon to respond. But he just stood there in shock, with that blank expression on his face.

"You... You don't like it?"

Charon turned slowly around to face her. "You don't understand," he said in his rough, damaged voce. "I haven't been free in over 100 years. No one has shown me kindness like this since my sister..." He trailed off.

Danica just stood there waiting for him to go on.

"If you wish me to stay here, than I must-"

"No, Charon," she interrupted. "You're a free man, now. No one ever has the right to tell u what to do ever again. What do YOU want?"  
>"I... I don't know. I don't think I'm ready for this... I... I was supposed to die... In combat or murder... But not free... I... I was never meant to be free."<p>

Danica stared.

"I... I think I just want to be alone... For a little while."

Slowly, Charon began to climb up the stars to enter the bedroom, his bedroom. He stood there just staring at the bed. He had never had a bed before. Just a cot and sometimes not even that. All of this was suddenly his and he didn't know what to do with it. His head hurt and he wasn't sure he could stand anymore. The bed looked so inviting and it had been so soft earlier... 

Charon woke up some time in the night and sat up against the wall. No one was there to order him around. No one was yelling at him. He was all alone.

Charon stood up and walked down stars. Danica had left at some point and he never heard her go, leaving the key on a bookshelf near the stares.

He decided to have a look around. The whole house was cleaner than he had ever seen it, or anywhere for that matter. Danica had clearly gone crazy with the abraxo. It looked like a brand new place, washed clean of any sign of anyone ever living there.

The locker gave an old, rusty creek when opened and the sudden smell of gun oils made Charon's fingers twitch as he took in a great big breath; shotguns, assault rifles, grenades, Laser pistols and more, not to mention enough ammo to keep a small army happy. It was difficult but somehow he tore his eyes away from the locker and turned to the fridge.

It was stocked full; bromin stakes, water, Nuka-Cola beer, junk food... But no dog meat. Charon smiled at the small hidden joke; something he couldn't remember ever doing.

Danica had been good to him right down to the last moment he saw her. He hoped he hadn't been too rude to her. She had saved him and gave him more than anyone ever had.

Charon grabbed a beer and sat on the stars. "Free," he said out loud, taking a long deep drink from his beer. A thin smile spread across his face. "I'm _fucking free_..."

It took a long time for Charon to adjust. At first, the thought of being free to do as he pleased was overwhelming. He almost didn't feel right eating without someone there to tell him he could. And people just wouldn't stop knocking on the door. He knew it was because they knew it was supposed to be a gun shop, but there he was, locked inside, a big bad, trained mercenary ghoul afraid of what may happen if he left the house. What if he was kicked out for being a ghoul? What if he was captured and enslaved? Charon just couldn't take that chance.

After a couple weeks, the knocking stopped almost completely, which was good but Charon was running out of food. There was only so much time he could spend locked up in the house.

Finally, on the forth week, heavily armed, with 10 caps in his pocket, he slowly opened the door. It was bright and cool outside. A breeze hit his face and he relaxed just a little. Charon remembered Danica getting food at a dirty little dinner around the corner from the house, so with a deep breath; he closed and locked the door.

To his surprise, he was greeted with friendly smiles as he walked down to the dinner. "Good to see you," said some wall others greeted him with a small nod.

Still slightly tints, he sat down at an outside bar-type area.  
>"What'll it be?" a young, blond girl smiled from over the bar at him.<p>

"Umm... I only have 10 caps."

"Okay! How about a nice bowl of noodles? 5 caps." The woman continued to smile at him as he counted out the bottle caps for her.

Charon ate slowly, listening to the chatter of people passing by and standing around. This was significantly better than standing in the corner of a bar.

"Hi there, friend!" a man with an eye patch flopped down in a chair to his right. "Billy Creel," the man announced, holding out his hand. Charon didn't take it.

"Charon," he replied.

Bill dropped his hand but continued to smile. "Oh, so _you're_ Charon! Owner of Dog Meat, right?"  
>Charon gave a small nod as he continued to eat.<p>

"Well, I must admit, I was expecting you to be much less... Ghouly... Not there's anything wrong with that, of course. That vault kid had nothing but good things to say about you."

Charon said nothing.

"Listen, man, some of the guys and I have been waiting for your shop to open. You fix stuff too?"

"Yah... Yah, I could..._"_

"Great, man! Great. When will your shop be open?"

Charon thought for a moment. "Tomorrow."

"Fantastic! You'll see the guys and me there then! See ya, bud!"

The caps came in quickly and easily once Charon had everything set up. Everyone who came in was very nice to him and he began to loosen up a bit. He even learned to laugh, in significantly funny situations anyway.

Customers would come in to trade items and stories of combat and battle scars. And Charon was the happiest he had been in a long time.

She opened the door and let it close gently behind her. The bobble head stand was gone and in its place was a work bench. Restored weapons were out on display all over the room and somewhere, GNR played, filling the shop with music. The old desk had been dragged down from upstairs and there he was, sitting in a chair behind it, polishing a newly assembled rifle.

"Welcome to Dog Meat," he said, not looking up from his work. "We will be closing for the day soon but take a look around and let me know if anything interests you."

"You mean other than _you_?"

Charon looked up to see Danica, a large smile lighting up her plain face.

"Hey!" Charon stood up and walked over to her, pulling her into a hug. The gesture was so foreign and lost to him that the hug was rather rough. _A little too rough, but it's the though_, Danica thought, trying to take deep breaths.

"Wow, Charon," she laughed, being released. "This is quite a change for you!"

"Where have you been? It's been months! I was afraid I had ran you off!"

"Oh, no! Of course not!" They stood there beaming at each other. "This is quite a shop, Charon! You've done well for yourself!"

"Well, you did a lot in the beginning. Honestly though," he said as he sat back down, continuing his work, "I am not sure if I am going to be able to keep up with all the purchases. People come in with nothing to trade but caps sometimes."

"Yeah, I thought that may happen." Danica hosted a large bag onto the table and began to empty it out, missile launchers, an ato ax, fat boys, grenades, ammo. She just kept pulling things out onto the table. "That's why I brought you a nice big shipment."

"Oh, I can't take all that"

"Well yeah, because you're not!" Danica laughed. "I'll give it all to you for... 1000 caps."

"But... This is easily 2000 caps worth of equipment."

"You think I don't know that?"

Charon smiled as he counted out the caps. "You know, I never got to thank you for all you've done for me."

"Don't worry about it. Are you happy?"

"I am..."

"But?"

"I do not mean to complain... But the nights are cold and lonely up here."

"Oh, that's to bad."

"Yes, but everything else is great. Thank you."

"It was my pleasure, my friend. I'll be back tomorrow."

"You can not stay?"

"Afraid not."

"Where are you staying now?" Charon pulled a chair over for her and she sat, grateful to get the weight off her feet and back.

"I cleared out a super mutant camp about a week back, up in the hills. Beautiful view. Well, as beautiful as the wasteland can be anyway."

Charon nodded as he took in his new inventory.

"It's been quite a lot of work. Had to get rid of the bodies and all that. I'm still trying to scrub the blood off the walls.. But it's a nice area. I've already got the caravan merchants coming through. It's quiet. Good place to settle down."

"It can be dangerous"

Danica waved his comment away. "Now, don't give me that. I can take care of myself." She stood, stretching. "I better get going but I will be back tomorrow." And with that she turned and left.

True to her word, Danica returned the next day.

Charon was sitting at the work bench when she opened the door and he looked up. "I found something for you," she sang, happily. She held the door open a little wider and in trotted a large dog, which walked right up to Charon and liked his hand.

"This is Dogmeat," Danica introduced.

"Oh, this isn't really-"

"I know, it's not! That was over 100 years ago!" Danica smiled and Charon gave him a little scratch behind the ears.

"Found him all alone in the scrap yard. He practically followed me out.. Now the nights won't be quite as cold and lonely "

"Thanks."

She had been right. Dogmeat was friendly and liked to follow Charon around, curling up at his feet when he sat and at the foot of the bed when he slept. He kept Charon company and Charon kept him fed.

"Can I ask you something?"  
>Charon glanced up briefly at Danica from his work. "Okay."<p>

"What was her name?"

"Who?"

"Your... sister?"

Charon was silent.

"I know you don't want to talk about it... But I just thought..."

"Jeanette," he almost whispered.

"Charon, I know what it's like to lose a family member. I never knew my mom but my dad... My dad's dead. He died trying to restore water to the wasteland."

The room was silent.

"I'm sorry I brought it up." Danica stood and walked to the door. She was just about to open it when she posed. "Charon..."

"Yes?"

"Are you... Your sister's not a ghoul, is she?"

Danica turned to see Charon staring up at her. "We… We began to change really young. We were born in a very pour neighborhood.. It was highly radiated.. By now, yes, she would be a ghoul."

Danica's eyes got wide. "I know where your sister is," she whispered.

"You, what?"

"I know where your sister is!"

Charon stood quickly. "Where?"

"She's in Paradise Falls! She's a..."

Charon's fists clenched. "No.. No, that can't be her.."

"It must be! I've talked to her and she's been going by Miss Jeanette.. She says she misses her brother.''

"Stop it!"

Danica stared as Charon began to pace around the room. "It can't be her! They told me she would be safe!" He continued to pace. "If it's her, I… I will kill them!"

Charon grabbed an assault rifle and started heading for the door.

"Stop!"

Charon stared down at Danica, blocking his way. He never realized how much smaller she was than him before now. Being almost half his size, he could have easily broken her like a toothpick.

Danica stared up at him, fire and hatred burned in his eyes and she tried not to be afraid.

"Charon," she said calmly and slowly. "It's the morning. If we go now-"

"I am not asking you to go with me!"

"Listen!" Charon, taken by surprise, stopped to hear what she was saying. "It's morning! If we go now, It'll be in the middle of the day and they will be ready for anything! You need to relax! And, yes! I _am_ going with you!"

Charon stood there staring at her, fists clenched, muscles bunched up.

"Please, Charon. I promise we'll go at mid-day. I will be going with you but we can't just run into a heavily armed slaver town blindly and without thinking."

Charon continued to stare, not moving an inch.  
>"Just sit down, take a deep breath, have a beer-"<p>

"You don't understand," Charon said quietly, dropping his weapon to the floor.

"Charon-"

"YOU NEVER UNDERSTOOD!" instantly, his fist was in the metal wall beside her head. She blinked but didn't flinch, as nervous as she was. Dogmeat perked up his ears and watched from the back of the room.

"YOU THINK THIS IS LIKE YOUR DAD RUNNING OFF? WELL, IT ISN'T! DON'T TALK TO ME LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT ITS LIKE TO BE ME! FUCK YOU!"

It was suddenly quiet in the house. They just stood there and looked at each other for a long time.  
>"I'm not saying I know you," Danica said as calmly as she could. "I can't because you don't tell me anything about yourself. We are going to get your sister, okay? I promise. But right now, you need to relax. Angry people do stupid things, and if you want this to work, we need to think about this."<br>Dogmeat, as if agreeing with Danica, walked over to Charon's chair, giving a short whine.

Without relaxing a single muscle, Charon walked over and sat down, Dogmeat's head in his lap.

Danica took a deep breath before sliding down the wall to sit on the floor. "We are going to get your sister, okay," she repeated.  
>Charon said nothing.<p>

**Thank you for reading!**  
><strong>Part 3 will be up really soon. i just have to pick an ending for it. I already started part 4, and that will be the end.<br>I look forward to your Reviews!**


	3. Part 3

**Okay, guys, heres the thing,**  
><strong>I have a problem with drawing out a story.. I refuse to. Who wants to readhear a long drown out story? Not me!**  
><strong>So, if your planning on commenting about how my story seems rushed, it isn't... So save your keys and just enjoy the story!<strong>

**One more chapter after this, and it's over!**  
><strong>Enjoy!<strong>

The sky was orange, yellow on the horizon... but everything else.. everything else was red.

Charon hadn't been happy to wait till what he saw as the last minute to leave Megaton. Not a word had been spoken between them since her promise to help him find his sister. _She said I was free,_ he had thought bitterly. _She said no one had the right to boss me around anymore, and yet, there she was trying to guard the door from a ghoul who towered over her._But in the back of his head, he knew she was right. So, reluctantly, he remained sitting until she stood. But all that time was worth it and he would have gladly waited twice as long just to see that look on Grouse's face right before his bullet hit him in the chest.

The guards hadn't seen it coming, not one bit. They were through the gates to the slaver town before the dirt had time to taste the blood, fingers twitching on the triggers, ready for battle. Screaming, yelling, gun fire. It was all music to Charon's rotting ears. His gun shop had been too quiet, too calm. Though it had been a much needed break, this is what he had been trained for. This was his life. It always had been. Bullets rushed past them as body after body fell to the ground in bloody pools.

It was quiet outside as Danica pulled the doors to Eulogy Jones' place open, Charon running over to the slave pins. Clover was standing guard at the door and Danica frowned. Though Clover would be an easy kill, she didn't want to kill a slave. But the murderous glare on her face had been too much for Danica and she knew she would have to pull the trigger. Clover came at her with a knife and Danica couldn't help but laugh a little. _A knife_, she thought, as Clover hit the ground with a bang and a soft thud. _How absurd._

Eulogy was sitting in the corner in the next room, hands over his head. Danica slowly walked over, placing the barrell of her combat shotgun under his chin and forcing his head up to look at her. "I told you this wasn't over," Danica whispered, looking deep into the fear in his eyes. "_Didn't I_?" Her finger tightened on the trigger and then-

"WHERE IS SHE?"

Danica turned her head, being sure not to loosen her grip on the gun. Charon was taking long strides over to them.

Eulogy's eyes widened even more. His fear of Danica and her gun was nothing compared to the fear in his eyes when he caught sight of the huge, angry killer ghoul. Ignoring Danica completley, Charon grabbed Eulogy by the hair and flung him onto the ground. "I ASKED YOU A QUESTION! WHERE IS SHE?"

With a sickining crack and thud, Eulogy landed on his side, writhing in pain. Danica stepped back and out of the way.

"Who?" he asked with a painfull grunt.

"Miss Jeanette," Danica answered calmly.

"Aw." Eulogy rolled onto his back, trying to prop himself up on his shoulders. "That would break slaver-custumer confidentiality."

"She was sold?" Danica turned to Charon, a worried look on her face. Charon stood there, reloading his gun, seeming almost calm. His hands were shaking with anger.

"Sure was," Eulogy answered proudly as if forgetting the situation. "Right after you left that last time. Glad i hadn't sold her to you too. He gave me twice the amount you would have."

"Who did you sell her to?" Charon demanded, gun reloaded and pointed between the slaver's eyes. He just smiled.

"You won't know if you shoot me, will you? And I can't tell you. Like i said, slaver-customer confi-"

"Cut the shit." Charon's expression remained unchanged as he moved the gun from between Eulogy's eyes to between his legs.  
>Eulogy jumped back, only to be stopped by a wall. Trying to block himself with his hands, he looked up at Charon in shock. "I don't know where she is," he insisted. "Really, I don't! After they're sold, it's none of my concern!"<p>

"Who bought her?" Danica asked. Charon didn't move.

"I don't know. I never saw him before."

_**BANG!**_

Charon had moved so quickly, Danica hadn't seen it coming. For a moment she though he had shot him in the crotch like he had threatened, but the blood pouring from his foot showed otherwise.

Eulogy yelled out in pain, clutching his shoe with both hands, his jaw clamped down so tight, Danica thought he might break his teeth.

"Describe him," Charon said slowly through gritted teeth.

"He was... a guy," Eulogy said, clearly unable to think properly. "Older!.. Gray hair and beard!.. talked with an accent!"

"Could we get a name? Maybe a location," Danica sighed, picking at her nails. Charon obviously had this under control but she wanted to be sure the right questions were asked.

"No! I told you! I never saw him before that! I don't ask questions like that!"

_**BANG!**_

His shirt was suddenly a deep red color and he yelled again, coughing up blood. Charon turned to leave and Danica followed, leaving him there to die.

"Older, Gray hair and beard, talked with an accent..."

Danica watched as Charon paced outside of Paradise Falls.

"Do you know anyone like that?" he asked, looking breifly over at her.

"I'm not sure.. It's kind of hard to say without knowing what the accent is."

"How many people do you know _with accents_?" Charon sounded annoyed.

"Two," Danica answered, thoughtfully.

"Either of them fit the description?"

"Well, Dukov dosen't seem the type to buy a slave.. Not that he would need one.. but he's still looks pretty young... I don't think he's it."

"And the other?"

"Moriarty already has a slave. It would be frustrating if it turned out that she's been in Megaton this whole time... though, I must admit, he does seem the type.."

At those words, Charon took off in a full sprint in the direction of Megaton, Danica following closely.

It was nightfall when they ran through the gates and up to the saloon. Danica's legs were killing her, but still she followed Charon to the empty bar. The door was locked but opened easily with a bobby pin and they hurried quietly to Morearty's room.

He was asleep, just like everyone else in the town. Charon pressed the cold metal of his gun to Moriarty's head, waking him up with a jump.

"What the-"

"Shut up," Charon whispered gruffly. "I have one question and then we will go."

Moriarty just stared up at him in shock.

"Is Jeanette here?"

"Miss Jeanette? yeah, of course! You think I'd let one of my slaves-"

"Charon, wait," Danica whispered urgently, seeing his finger tighten on the trigger.

"_What_?"

"You don't want to make too much noise, do you?" She pulled a knife out of her bag and handed it to him.

Charon took it, looking down at Moriarty as his eyes grew large with fear.

"I'll pay you not to do this," Moriarty begged. "Whatever you'r being paid to kill me, I'll double it!"

"This is not about a contract," Charon whispered. "... For once."


	4. Part 4

Screaming... There was so much screaming. Gun fire, yelling, blood..

Charon and Jeanette watched from the corner of Jeanette's upstairs bedroom window. Lightly armored men with large guns were dragging people out of their homes. Men, women, children.. and those who struggled too hard were shot and killed. Crimson stains, neighbors and friends covered the ground outside.

A 10-year-old, Charon watched in horror as his older sister began searching around the room for somewhere to hide. As the door downstairs was opened loudly, he was being dragged into a closet by Jeanette. She held him close and told him to be quiet and he did as they listened, hearts racing in fear.

Dogmeat could be heard from the closet, barking and growling. The sound of close gun fire made them jump and all at once, the barking stopped.

"Fucking dogs," One man said as he walked up the stairs. "I don't think anyone else is in here."

"Oh well," another replied. "Well, raid the place anyway. Maybe we'll find some caps."

Charon and Jeanette stayed quiet in the little closet hoping they would find some reason not to open it but Jeanette knew it was no use. They were going to be found and there was no way around it.

Jeanette was almost twice Charon's age and had watched after him after there parents had been killed by The Capital Wasteland's early raiders. She had taught him to read and cook and find for himself if anything was to happin to her. They were there for each other from the begining, even when their ghoulification began to take effect.

They were scared and trapped and even then, when there was no hope left, She planned on keeping her little brother safe. "Listen to me, Charon," She whispered quickly in his ear. "Do what they say. If you go with them, then you are going to live. Don't fight back, okay?"

Charon nodded in agreement, but he didn't agree. He wanted to fight! He wanted to get away from them!

_"What was that?"_

Footsteps sounded outside the closet, getting closer and closer. Jeanette held Charon tight, knowing this was it. They heard her whispering to him and the men knew they were in her room.

The closet doors were flung open. "Look what we have here!"

Another man came around the corner. "What's wrong with there faces?"

"Radiation. We found a few like this last week. They're fine."

One man grabbed Jeanette by the wrist as the other grabbed Charon and pulled them out of the closet and to their feet.

"This one seems scrawny," one of them said, poking at Charon.

"Just underfed," the other replied. "He'll do nicely."

"Leave him alone!" The men looked over at Jeanette, who was struggling hopelessly to get free. One of the men turned his gun on her and-

"_No_," Charon pleaded and they paused for a moment. "Please! _Please_ just leave her alone! Don't hurt her! I'll do anything!"

"_Anything_?" One of them repeated.

"Yes, just please, take _me_ instead!"

"Charon, no!"

"Hey!" The man holding the gun to Jeanette turned to look at her. "Shut up, or you'll _both_ be shot!"

The other man leaned in close to whisper to his partner. Charon and Jeanette couldn't hear them but a smile spread across their faces as they considered Charon's offer.

_"I think the boss would rather have her than him."_

_"Yeah, but the more willing they are, the easier it is. Let's take the boy and leave her."_

_"No, he's too small."_

_"He's just young. He'll get bigger. Besides, there's another crew coming through here tomorrow to scan over what we've missed. They're_  
><em>sure to find her here."<em>

"Okay, boy," one of them said, seeming to come to a conclusion. "You do anything and everything we say, and the little girl here will be left alone. But if you disobey us once, she will die. Understand?"

"Yes, I understand."

"So, we have a deal?"

"Deal."

"Charon, no! don't listen to-"

_"SHUT UP!"_

The siblings both jumped and fell silent.

Charon looked at his sister. _I'm sorry_, he tryed to tell her through his eyes. _I just want you to be safe. I'm sorry._

"Come on, boy."

Charon followed them out without a struggle or protest and as he pulled his eyes away from Jeanette, she fell to her knees and began to sob.

All those years had passed and Charon had learned not to think about her too often. The pain of it all was to intense, so he shut it out the best he could. What he had done was an act of love, the only one he could remember. Thinking about it now, it had been a bad idea. But he had been young and wanted to save her. She had done so much for him as a small boy and at the time, he felt that sacrificing himself for her was the least he could do.

All those years, not seeing her, not knowing if she was safe, not knowing if she was even alive. There she was, in a small room, sleeping on the floor. When he opened the door, she opened her eyes. And there they were again. Together and free, the way it was once and always should have been.

...

**The end!**


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